


'Cause I'm a Little Awkward, Too

by Mumuniverze (Demiboy_Luffy)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety Disorder, Awkward Flirting, F/F, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, First Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, LGBTQ Themes, Love Confessions, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-05-26 03:32:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6221974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demiboy_Luffy/pseuds/Mumuniverze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette begins to get to know Adrien on a more personal level, and vice versa. </p><p>OR: Little do they know, not everyone is who they appear to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	'Cause I'm a Little Awkward, Too

Adrien wasn't sure how long he'd been staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom, but it was far too long for his liking. 

It was Friday, and ahead of him was a full free weekend with next to nothing on his schedule. It was practically a miracle. One would think he'd be a bit more thrilled about his freedom, but there was something putting a damper on his mood.

Nino would be busy with Alya at the zoo tomorrow, then he had his moms’ anniversary on Sunday. Either way, he wouldn't get to hang out with Nino; his best, and pretty much only friend was just too busy, ironically enough. Although Nino had offered that Adrien come to the zoo with he and Alya, he already imposed on enough of their dates, and figured that the couple deserved to spend some alone time together for once. 

Thinking of the couple only prompted Adrien's thoughts to wander, and think of Ladybug. Adrien let out a sigh, and rolled over on his stomach, burying his face into his pillow. 

There hadn't been an Akuma attack for at least four days, and he hadn't gotten to see much of his Lady all week. He wondered what she was doing at that very moment; was she with friends? Family? Surely, she couldn't be spending the day alone? Adrien couldn't imagine his Lady being a loner, such as himself. She probably had all sorts of fun with her friends during the weekends. Perhaps she was at a park, or taking a walk down some busy Parisian street, or even just at home enjoying the company of her family. Here Adrien was, still in his pajamas at noon; with his father and Nathalie away on a last minute trip, he was subjected to being even more alone than usual.

"What's with you today?" Plagg's voice rang out from somewhere across the room. Adrien rolled over, and sat up cross legged on his bed, stretching his arms up high above him.

"I'm just thinking about what Ladybug's doing today." He stifled a yawn.

"Probably feeding her kwami." the kwami said lowly.

"You should be thinking about getting me some cheese." Plagg continued, seemingly unconcerned with Adrien's curiosity. Though, he may of felt a bit of pity for the boy. He'd been spending an increasing large amount of time alone in his bed as of late.

"You should take me into town and get me some camembert, instead of moping around." Plagg nagged the boy, from his seat a top Adrien's desk. Adrien couldn't help but roll his eyes at his kwami, but nonetheless got up to find something to wear. 

Adrien knew Plagg was right, as much as he didn’t want to admit it. He ought not to be sitting around all day, when he could go on a walk and find something to do. It was at least worth a try. 

 

Marinette had been working on the same dress for at least two weeks. She had become increasingly fond of a specific design she had scribbled into her sketchbook a few weeks ago, and when she showed it to Alya, her best friend had insisted that Marinette make it for herself. So there Marinette was, two weeks, and one awful mistake into completing the ‘Pink Dress from Hell' as she had dubbed it.

Marinette would have been done already, if she hadn't used such a thin fabric the first time around. The skirt had hung all wrong, and the chest was baggy enough to make Marinette cringe. She had searched like crazy around Paris for a fabric that would be stiff enough, until she finally found some that was cheap enough she could both afford, and work with. 

She was so relieved, to be able to finish it that weekend. The Pink Dress from Hell would be done late that evening, or Saturday morning, if Marinette got too tired. Tikki was likely just as impatient as she was, as she had been stuck with a frustrated Marinette, and a distinct lack of cookies.

"You've worked very hard on it, but when do you think you'll wear it?" Tikki questioned out of the blue, from her perch atop the back of the girl’s chaise. Marinette was embroidering some detail into the collar by hand, before pausing at the inquiry. 

"That's..." Marinette stared blankly at the dress in her hands, before setting it her lap and letting out an irritated whine.

"Did you really have to question it, Tikki?" Marinette rubbed her temples, and leaned her head back onto her chair.

"You never wear any of your 'nice stuff'. I hear your mother complaining about it constantly. Why do you bother getting such things if all you wear are your jeans and shirts?" Tikki giggled at the look on the girl's face. 

"I don't know! I guess it's just kind of embarrassing? Showing up all dressed differently to school one day would just make everyone stare at me. I hate that." Marinette delicately set aside the dress, and stood up to look in her mirror 

"Plus, Chloé. Do I have to go into detail?" Marinette let out a sigh.

"Besides, it's not like I'm in a shirt and pants today, is it? I promised my mom I'd start wearing my other stuff. See?" Marinette smoothed out her baby blue tank top, and adjusted her bra strap. She was wearing her hair down, and had on a high waisted black skirt, that fell halfway down her thighs. She was also barefoot, having not gone anywhere that day. 

"Well, how about you go out in that today? You may not feel as embarrassed going to school in it if you've worn it out before." Tikki had suggested. There was no doubt in Marinette's mind that the Kwami would probably like to go out for once. Marinette had been cooped up in her room with the exception of school, all week. 

"Yeah, it would be nice to have a break from the dress. My fingers hurt..." Marinette replied. She rubbed at her calloused fingers, and contemplated where to go. Fortunately, it came to her almost instantly. 

"Tikki!" Marinette smiled widely "We could go to that coffee shop Alya was talking about yesterday! She said that their sweets are great." Tikki was obviously thrilled, and Marinette was excited to finally check it out. It was around 3:30 in the afternoon, so she decided that the sooner she got out the door, the better. She began to get ready right away.

Marinette scanned herself in the mirror, before deciding on her shoes. She settled on a pair of comfortable black flats, and putting them on she decided she'd like to wear jewelry as well. Marinette grabbed a long necklace off of her jewelry holder, and put it on; It's turquoise, tear-shaped gem hung down the center of her chest. 

Marinette wasn't sure what else to do, so besides applying a bit of mascara, and some chapstick, she pinked up her cheeks with some blush, and grabbed her purse ready to leave.

"C'mon Tikki!" Marinette smiled at her kwami, who dutifully hopped into her purse. Marinette left her room, and headed down to the bakery to seek out her parents.

Her parents were both at the counter of the shop,helping customers, so Marinette politely interjected when the woman her father was helping finished speaking.

"I'm gonna head over to a cafe a few blocks over!" She smiled and waved at her dad, he waved back. Her mom noticed as well, and gave a quiet 'don't be gone too long' after she finished ringing up a customer. Marinette held the door for a woman coming in, and made her way down the streets of Paris towards the Cafe. 

 

Adrien had been walking around the city for a while, but he still wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He had stopped and grabbed some camembert for Plagg, and had been searching for something to do ever since. Nothing that came to mind seemed good enough, and in fact, just seemed downright boring.

He'd been through this part of town with his bodyguard, (Whom he had ditched at the mansion, waving his absence off as 'I don't feel good leave me alone') but only ever in the car. 

He'd been stopped by a quite a few people whom had recognized him, and had been continuously stared at during the bulk of his walk.

He had tried to be polite in brushing off the ones who'd came up to him, but he had a very hard time saying no. Instead, he chose to try and avoid any and all confrontation, putting his headphones in, (with no music playing) and walking at a faster pace. 

He had soon stopped to peer into a store, and look at a rather over the top display sitting in it's window. He grinned to himself, and turned to continue walking. He stop abruptly when he caught sight of his classmate, Marinette. 

She was outside of a cafe, two or so stores down. She was smiling at a man, who was holding the door open for her. They spoke for a moment before Marinette entered, and the man made his way down the street.

Adrien immediately wanted to go after her, but he wasn't sure if it would go well. Marinette always seemed uncomfortable around him, so he didn't want to impose and make her feel awkward. 

Adrien always thought she was kind, and friendly; He got the chance to witness it first hand, when Alya had called him up to help her with talking to Marinette's uncle, and when he went to her house to play Mecha Strike. Even in class, she always seemed to try her best to be fair towards everyone, and treat them respectfully. 

In fact, he still carried her lucky bracelet with him in his bag.

All in all, Adrien would love to be better friends with the girl. He never really got much of a chance to really talk to her, and get to know her. He couldn't help but wonder if he could get Marinette to warm up to him. He'd have to be extra cautious, but if he tried hard enough, he was sure he could make her feel more comfortable around him. 

Before he really knew it, he had a grasp on the cafés door, and pulled it open rather suddenly. He drew the attention of the people seated closest to the cafés entrance, so he closed it shyly and made his way up to the counter, keeping an eye out for Marinette. He didn't want her to know that he followed her there; That would have creeped her out, and that was the last thing that he wanted to do.

He spotted Marinette standing over the pastries around the corner, by the other register. She was hunched over looking through the glass closely, searching its contents in contemplation. Adrien perked up for a moment, and stepped towards the front register. 

He had forgotten how nervous he had felt, up until then; The unfamiliar environment made him rather anxious. He was afraid to make the effort to order, and given the situation he was more rattled than usual.The barista made her way to the register, and greeted him with enthusiasm. Her positive aura was comforting, and he relaxed slightly. 

He had no clue what he wanted, so he nervously asked for suggestions. The barista simply smiled at him, and began chatting away about her favorites. She was more than happy to oblige. Adrien nodded happily when she suggested hot chocolate, and she seemed to get the memo. She rang him up, and he thanked her internally for being so understanding. 

He searched for Marinette for a moment, whom he found seated towards the back preoccupied with something on her phone. She had two muffins sitting in front of her, with her drink standing tall and proud next to them. Her hair was down, and grazed her shoulders as she moved forward on her elbows, thumbs going to work on her screen. 

Adrien's attention was pulled from the girl, as his name was called out. He smiled at the other barista, and paused momentarily before thanking him and walking away from the counter.

'I didn't even tell her my name.' He thought dryly. He brushed the bitterness away before slowly making his way up to Marinette, skirting on the edge of the table. He stood by the chair across from hers, and leaned down to see if he could get her attention. 

After going unnoticed, he decided to call to her quietly. He felt like a spectacle standing there for so long in a place where everyone else was already seated. 

"Uh, Marinette?" 

 

Marinette had been so preoccupied with an article she had found on her favorite fashion blog, she hadn't even noticed Adrien walk into the cafe;Nor did she notice when he came up to her table, until he'd called out her name. 

"Uh, Marinette?" 

Marinette looked up at the voice in surprise, to see the object of her affection staring down at her, albeit awkwardly. 

"Hi! Adrien!" Marinette sat straight up in her chair, now hyper-aware of her surroundings. Adrien shyly smiled down at her, and grabbed the back of the chair across from her with his free hand. 

"Mind if I sit?" He continued to look at her, before she realized he was waiting for an answer. 

"Sure! Yes, please!" Marinette waved it off, resisting the temptation to smack herself upside the forehead. She could see his shoulders visibly relax, as he quickly took a seat at the little table. 

"I hope you don't mind, but I saw you sitting here so..." Adrien trailed off, scratching the back of his head. 

"It's no problem at all." Marinette's response took a moment, but she responded calmly as she could. She gave the boy a small smile before looking down at the plate in front of her. 

"What kind of muffins are those?" Adrien's voice brought her focus back up to him. He was looking at her plate curiously. 

"Chocolate chip." Marinette paused, and continued sheepishly. 

"Want to try?" She pushed her plate towards him, and instead of grabbing the untouched muffin, (the one she was saving for Tikki) he grabbed the one she had taken a bite out of, and took one himself. 

"Mh, these are good!" Adrien stated, mid-chew. Marinette couldn't help but think how funny he looked trying to talk with his mouth full. She giggled involuntarily, and Adrien timidly held back a giggle of his own. Marinette's smile could only grow in response, and she bashfully gazed down at her hands on the table in front of her. 

It was quiet for a moment, before Adrien reached out to cover her hands with one of his, drawing her attention. He pushed her plate back towards her. His hand lingered on her's for a moment, before he withdrew it to lean his elbow on the table, and taking a drink of his hot chocolate. 

"Thank you." Adrien looked at her for a moment before continuing. 

"So, what are you up to today?" He asked.

"Um," She thought for a moment. 

"Well, I sewed a bit today, before I came here. That's all." She nervously toyed with an out of place strand of hair, and picked a piece off her muffin before popping it into her mouth.

"Oh. Nothing else?" Adrien cocked his head a bit, confused. She mimicked his actions, just as so. 

"It's just, you seem more dressed up than usual. You have your hair down and stuff so," He seemed unsure of the direction he'd been going.

"Eh, yeah. I have all these clothes I never seem to wear, so, why not wear them? I guess?" Marinette laughed awkwardly, and self consciously ran a hand through her hair. 

"I was just wondering, sorry." He looked away from her for a moment, before meeting her gaze again. 

"You look nice with your hair down." He smiled, but it faltered. 

"Not that you don't look nice when it's not?" He cleared his throat.

"I mean, it's just, uh, fancier than usual?" The more he talked, the more he seemed to cringe at his own words. Marinette's face flushed red.Adrien sighed and leaned his chin on his hand. 

"Sorry for being so awkward." Marinette could only look at him. He's the awkward one? In that case, she'd trade places with him anytime.

Adrien had a surprised look on his face, and Marinette realized she had said that aloud. He covered his face with his free hand and began to laugh. 

"Well," He continued to laugh. 

"At least we're on the same page?" He grinned from ear to ear, and she couldn't help but begin to laugh herself. Their laughter lightly echoed off the walls of the otherwise quiet cafe, but drew little attention. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud." She shook her head and took a drink of her coffee. 

"It's no problem. I get it." He seemed much more relaxed now that they had come to a rather, awkward, understanding. Marinette felt much lighter in his presence than before, now that they had seemed to get the nerves out of both of their systems. Neither of them were very 'socially savvy'. 

"Thank you, though." Marinette smiled at him brightly. Adrien took a moment to process her response, before smiling back. 

"Ah, well, I'm no good at giving compliments. It's no problem, though. I'm glad you're happy." Adrien went to take another sip of his hot chocolate, but stopped halfway, shaking his cup.

"Wow, I drank it all, already." He sat the empty cup down on the table, looking disappointed. 

"That's okay. I'm pretty much done with mine, too" She giggled.

"You can always grab more, you know." She then turned her focus to her cup, and Adrien simply watched her as she finished the rest of her coffee, contemplation written all over his face. 

"So, you aren't doing anything else today? No plans?" He asked her. Marinette simply nodded.

"Uh, would you wanna hangout for a while? I've got nothing to do this weekend, so I've just been looking for something fun to do." Adrien licked his lips nervously, fiddling with his ring out of habit.

"Uh, yeah! That'd be great! Do you have anything in mind, or...?" Adrien thought for a while, and Marinette decided to chime in.

"We could play video games at my house, if you want?" Adrien's face brightened at the suggestion. 

"That would be great!" He beamed at her, and Marinette grabbed her purse off the back of her chair. 

"Wanna leave now?" She asked quietly, and with a tilt of her head.

"Sure! Adrien hopped up happily, and grabbed his cup, before speaking once more. 

"Lead the way!" 

 

Marinette was screaming inside. 

Well, that could be said the vast majority of the time, but she was especially scream-y now. 

She couldn't believe she had run into Adrien, of all people. She couldn't believe he sat with her. She couldn't believe she acted so awkwardly. 

'Actually, scratch that. That's the only thing I can count on when it comes to talking to him.' 

Last but not least, he couldn't believe he was coming over to her house! Because he felt like it! As nervous as Marinette was, she was excited. Adrien liked her enough to want to hangout with her and play video games! It's not like he ever indicated that he didn't like her, in fact, it was the contrary. 

Adrien was so friendly and kindhearted. He had everyone's best interest at heart, and Marinette adored that about him. What she couldn't tell, is if he actually liked her as a person, or just pitied her for being such a mess around him.

Alya claimed he was completely oblivious when it came to her crush on him. At first Marinette was inclined to agree, but it seemed as though he was oblivious towards most things in general. It took him three weeks to figure out Myléne and Ivan were together, even though they were practically tripping over each other. 

Adrien's obliviousness was really both a blessing and a curse. 

On the brightside, Adrien still wanted to be friends with her. He wasn't creeped out, or going out of his way to avoid her. It was those three things that kept her same. 

On the other hand, Adrien still wanted to be friends with her. She enjoyed talking and laughing with him on their walk to her house so far, but it was so hard for her. With every smile and laugh, she couldn't look at him in fear of him figuring out her feelings. Like one look could reveal every thought she'd ever had of him. If she stared just a little too long-

"Are you okay?" Adrien completely derailed her train of thought. She had completely forgotten he had been talking to her.

"Yes! Yes, I just spaced off is all. Almost there!" Her laugh was self-conscious. She couldn't look at him. He went silent for the rest of the block, until they nearly reached the bakery. The street was emptier than usual. 

Adrien had suddenly stopped, before they reached the windows of the bakery.

"You know, if I make you uncomfortable, we don't have to hangout." Adrien's voice came suddenly, and she stopped in her tracks. She turned around to look at him, face riddled with bewilderment. His eyes seemed to glued to his shoes. 

"I," Marinette had no idea what to say. She couldn't believe he thought that. She was just full of disbelief that day

Uncomfortable around him, of all people? Sure, she was nervous as all hell, but never uncomfortable! He was much too sweet to ever cause her discomfort, especially when it wasn't on purpose! What had she done to make him think anything otherwise?

"You don't make me uncomfortable." loudly, the words slipped out before she could stop them. Her change of tone obviously took Adrien by surprise; his shoulders jumped as his verdant eyes blinked down at her and gaped. Adrien 

"Are you sure?"

 

Marinette's demeanor had changed completely. The looked of panic in her eyes had subsided, and her shoulders squared. She looked at him in awe. It caught him completely off guard. 

"Are you sure?" He questioned. His eyebrows were furrowed, and for once he really got to look at the girl in front of him. She continued to stare at him with that disbelieving expression. He was so sure that he made his uncomfortable. Had he just been paranoid? Or was he just stupid? 

He could feel his neck and face heat up, and his palms start to sweat. His breathing had become labored since before he'd decided to stop. His chest had already been hurting since the cafe, heart thudding hard against his ribcage. 

"I'm totally and completely positive!" She walked up to him slowly, a look of worry creeping it's way onto her face when she took notice of his distress.

"H-hey, are you alright? Did I upset you?" Marinette asked worriedly. Adrien remained quiet for a moment, and shook his head.

"No! I'm fine! Sorry for being dumb." He ran a hand through his hair, and scratched the nape of his neck. 

"You aren't being dumb." Marinette stared at him for a moment, scrutinizing him. 

"Do you need to sit down?" Marinette questioned. She took a step towards the bakery, not breaking eye contact. Adrien nodded slowly at this, and trudged towards Marinette. She held the door, and let him enter before her, before making her way up to their apartment, Adrien in towe. Her mother was in the kitchen when they entered, and greeted them. 

"Oh, I didn't know you were bringing a friend home!" Marinette's mother had a kind smile, and made her way out from around the counter, walking towards them. 

"Hello Adrien, it's nice to see you again." Mrs. Dupain-Cheng addressed him directly this time. He wiped the sweat on his palms on his jeans, and made an effort to stand up a bit straighter.

"Are you staying for dinner?" She asked him. Adrien had no clue. He'd only planned to play Mecha Strike with Marinette, but if the family's cooking skills were anything close to their baking skills, he definitely wanted to. But at that moment, Adrien had only one thing on his mind. He needed to figure out how to escape to the bathroom before Marinette noticed how bad he'd gotten.

"Maman, Adrien and I wanted to play video games for a little while. Is that alright?" Marinette switched topics before Adrien even had a chance to answer the elder woman. She seemed to feel the stressed atmosphere, so she reeled her attentions back and returned to the kitchen.

"Of course. We'll make plenty, in case you're staying." Adrien gave a quiet thanks, and Marinette guided him up stairs towards her bedroom. Adrien had attempted to excuse himself and head for the bathroom, but he couldn't find his words.

She quickly led him up to her room through the trapdoor,and went to set up the controllers, hooking the first one up to her computer. She paced around, in search of something, and Adrien stood stiff by her vanity.

Adrien’s ever growing panic got to him then. He reached out to grab Marinette's shoulder from the side, as she moved stopping her, and her quick pace rather abruptly. He withdrew his hand quickly.

"Where should I sit?" His voice was airy, and his breath came and went much quicker than he would have liked. Marinette looked at him in slight confusion, but worry replaced it and she gave him directions. 

"O-oh, um. She pointed to her chaise. Adrien sat, and bent down with his elbows on his knees, head falling between his thighs. He took a large breath in, and shakily let it out after a moment of tense silence. Marinette gently took a seat next to him, clearly unsure what to do with herself. 

"Should I get my mom...?" She asked slowly, but Adrien cut her off.

"No!" It came out louder than he expected.

"I just need to sit. That's all." He said, steady as he could.

"I'm not sure what's wrong, but I want to help." She said, after a minute or so. He could tell how worried she was. Adrien couldn't tell. Time dragged on for what seemed like forever, but he still couldn't breathe.

Marinette's voice was soft and soothing, and Adrien could feel her hand make its way to the center of his back, lightly pressing against the cloth of his shirt and caressing it in small circles. 

"I'm having a panic attack." Adrien said simply. 'No shit Sherlock' He couldn't help but think. He'd had been trying to ignore it, just wanting to sit down and breathe, but it was the worst attack he'd had in awhile. Marinette quite obviously noticed his extreme discomfort, and he really didn't want her to think that it was her fault. He could see her face from the corner of his eyes, and he suddenly felt even worse. 

She was kind enough to invite him over to play video games, and all he had to give her was worry. That was the last thing he'd wanted to happen, and now he was positive that he'd upset her. 

"Sorry." He tried to apologize again, but Marinette cut him off.

"It's alright, you don't have to be. There's nothing to be sorry for." She continued to rub his back, and Adrien continued to try and steady his breathing.

"Do you want to lay down?" Adrien nodded his hanging head, and Marinette scooted toward the back of the chair for him, and he put his head down and spread out. 

"I'm really sorry about this." He couldn't help but apologize again. The voice in his head just nagged at him

'She thinks you're weird. She doesn't like you. She's probably angry; You ruined her day.' If he had any control over his thoughts at that moment, rationally, he would know that those thoughts were far from the truth; But at the moment, they were the only thing on his mind.

"It's okay." was still rubbing his back, even from her new position behind him. He was on his side, facing away from her, and she was sitting on the small space between his back and the end of the cushion.

"I'm not mad. You aren't doing anything wrong. Okay? Everything's fine. You're okay." Marinette sounded sure in her words. They both went quiet for a few minutes, as he began to catch his breath. He felt absolutely exhausted, and he remained still, his back pressed against the side of Marinette's warm thigh, plus, her hand rubbing continuous circles over his upper back. She must have noticed his breathing slow, since she called out to him.

"Are you feeling any better?" She asked in almost a whisper. Adrien could feel her hand start to slow, and he cracked open his eyes.

"Yeah." His voice cracked. He laid there, willing himself to move. 

"Do you still wanna play video games?" She asked, gently. She slowly removed her hand from his back, but remained seated, thigh pressing into him.

"Could I lie down a little longer?" He asked quietly. Marinette got up, and walked around the chaise towards her computer where he could see her. 

"Of course you can. I'll set up. I'll be right here if you need me." Marinette continued to rummage through her drawers, likely in an effort to find the second controller as Adrien couldn't see it anywhere near the other one, which was already plugged in. He took a moment to look around her room. Reorienting himself after an attack always helped. Familiarizing himself with his surroundings typically made the environment much less intimidating. He was glad Marinette's room was so comfortable in nature.

It was very pink, and filled to the brim with all sorts of things. Posters, fabric, sewing supplies, sketchbooks, and such were scattered about the room, and it suited Marinette's personality very well.

There was a small difference, though. He had noticed the Marinette-esque details during his last visit. What he didn't notice back then, were the posters of him on her walls. In fact, he was sure they weren't there the last time he was over.

He thought her walls were just unusually empty, but now that he thought about it, it didn't seem like she'd just leave her walls blank. She wasn't the type. 

So what did that mean? Did she just put them up recently, or did she actually take them down before he had come over that once? But what did that mean?

Marinette looked back at him, controller in hand. They gave each other confused looks for two completely different reasons. There was a moment of that before realization dawned on her face like the world's biggest bell, and she whipped her head around to look at the wall behind her. Her first instinct was, apparently, to start ripping them down.

"Ohnonono." She mumbled under her breath. She tore them off her wall, before looking back at a picture frame, of all things, and flipping it face down.

"H-how did that g-get there..." she let out an awkward laugh, and looked at him with a grimace. Adrien sat up and chuckled.

"You missed one." Marinette searched behind her desperately, and Adrien began to laugh. Marinette realized he had tricked her.

"That's... n-not funny." She pouted, and seemed to shrink in on herself. Her face was red, and she could no longer look his way. He felt bad for embarrassing her.

"Sorry, I was just kidding. I don't mind." He said simply. He tried to smooth it over as best he could. Although he didn't know why she seemed to have his face plastered everywhere, he could only assume.

"You love fashion, and I happen to model my dad's designs" He shrugged, attempting to make it seem normal as possible.

"That's not too unusual, is it?" He smiled a bit, hoping she would feel a bit better about the situation. He owed her that, after all the kindness she has shown him. 

"I-" she paused, chewing on her lip. 

"Yeah, I guess it's just kinda weird since you're my classmate and all." She chuckled nervously and ran her fingers through her hair, once again spinning an out of place strand in circles around her finger. Was it a nervous tick? Adrien could only wonder. She looked very distressed at this point, so Adrien decided to make an effort to change that.

"So, video games? Mecha Strike, right?" The subject changed once more, the awkward atmosphere pushed aside, likely to be dealt with later. Adrien wasn't looking forward to that, but at least for now, both of the elephants in the room would remain unaddressed. 

"Oh, yeah! Um, wanna be player one, or two?" Marinette asked. She plugged in the second controller and made sure it was working. 

"Two." Adrien walked over to her, taking the controller from her hand, her fingers momentarily brushed her's. The situation felt awfully familiar, but Adrien pushed the thought away and smiled at her, instead.

"It's my lucky number." Adrien explained. Marinette continued to look at him, before he broke the silence once more.

"Thanks for inviting me over. I really appreciate it" He could only hope that she knew he was being sincere, as he couldn't really gauge a reaction from her. She turned away, facing her computer and walking towards her chair. 

"I appreciate you being able to. Come over, I mean." Marinette smiled softly at the ground, controller now in her lap. 

"Are you sure?" Adrien questioned. He waited for a moment before her head rose, and they just looked at one another. Her smile reached her eyes, that were shining with assurance. 

"Positive." 

 

Marinette and Adrien had played video games for a little while, before her mother called up to them. Dinner would be done in five minutes, and that didn't leave much time for them to do anything but wait in her room. 

Adrien had only won once, but it really wasn't much of a surprise. She truly hoped that he was still having fun, despite his lack of victories; Not to mention the events previous to their little Mecha Strike competition. 

He seemed to be feeling a lot better now that Marinette got to look at him, instead of her computer screen. He seemed so much more relaxed than before, and quite simply, content. On top of that, he didn't make a big deal about the whole 'I have dozens of pictures of you on my wall' thing! Her luck definitely came in handy. 

Currently, he was leaning against her desk, absent-mindedly fiddling with a stray thimble she had had lying next to her sewing machine.

"Are you feeling better?" Marinette asked him. Adrien looked back at her blankly for a moment, before he made a face of realization at what she had meant. 

"I'm feeling a lot better." Adrien straightened up a bit, answering quickly. He made the effort to relax his now tense shoulders, and with his eyes darting from hers, to the ground and back again, he spoke.

"Thank you. For earlier, I mean." Adrien's gaze landed on his sneakers, this time. 

"Sorry you had to deal with that." His voice got a bit quieter, and he avoided her gaze. He toyed with the thimble in his hand. Marinette furrowed her brow.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that." Marinette Delicately set down the controller she had in her lap, and stood up.

"It's not like it was your fault, right?" Marinette continued. She took a step forward, now standing across from him.  
"Still. Oh, and...?" He trailed off, as if he was unsure of his words. 

"Hm?" Marinette cocked her head slightly, waiting for him to continue. 

"Can you, not tell anyone? About that, I mean?" He asked. 

"Not Alya, or Nino. Just, nobody? Please?" Adrien plead. Marinette was suprised by his request, but agreed nonethelss.

"Alright, but..." she trailed off herself, catching his attention. She met his gaze. 

"I wouldn't have anyway, you know. I wouldn't talk about a friend's personal problems to anyone unless they wanted me to." She stated.

"Even if it's with Alya?" Adrien tilted his head, focusing on her with curious, yet concerned eyes. Marinette stepped to Adrien's left, and turned to lean on her desk besides him. She took a moment to think of a response. 

"If I had a good reason to, I might; I would either leave the person's name out, or be super vague about it. You know?" Marinette said, thoughtfully. Adrien hummed in acknowledgement.

"It just depends on the situation." She let out a small sigh. "Sometimes, having someone to help you sort things out is what you need, but that doesn't mean they have to know the exact situation." Marinette paused. 

"I-I'm kinda off topic, aren't I?" She asked, now slightly flustered. Not only was she sitting less than six inches away from Adrien, but she was practically lecturing him. Marinette couldn't help but think that he must be bored out of his skull. 

Also, her brain thought it would be a wonderful idea to remind her how close she was to him while she was rubbing his back. Talk about inopportune moments. 

Adrien had definitely noticed her sudden shift in behavior, and lucky her, he chose not to comment on it.

"A little off topic, sure," Adrien looked up from the floor, verdant eyes focused solely on her own.

"-but honestly? It's reassuring. I'm glad I can trust you with this." His eyes never left hers, as a soft smile made its way across his face.

Marinette could feel her heart beat hard in her chest; she was unable to look away from him. With their faces so close that Marinette could count his eyelashes, or study the many hues of green that came together to form his iris; she could reach out and caress his face before draping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him close to her. Marinette's mind just went blank, and she felt her face begin to burn.

"Marinette! Dinner!" The sound of her Father’s voice snapped her out of her and Adrien’s little staring contest. She looked down at the floor, and avoided his gaze.

“Coming!” She called down to him. She stood up from the desk, and walked out in front of Adrien, before abruptly turning around. 

“Uh, We should…” She paused mid sentence. Adrien was no longer smiling, but instead an unfamiliar look had graced his features. She could tell he wasn’t unhappy with her, though, not at all; The look in his eyes was just as friendly and warm as before, but there was something there that Marinette couldn’t identify, or place. It ignited the curiosity within her. It lasted but a moment, but the expression was burnt into her memory. 

“Yeah, we don’t want to keep your parents waiting.” He set the thimble down beside him, and walked toward Marinette.

“Yeah.” She said. “Let’s go.”

**Author's Note:**

> Funfact!: The title is from a song I wrote for my friend in freshman year.
> 
> Edit: I cut back on some tags, and I cut some stuff out of the story. This is going to be shorter than I originally planned, but I do plan to do more serious things with similar themes in the future. 
> 
> I'm working on what I plan to be a novel length fic, so be on the lookout. :)


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